The Perfect Run

Genome parties were always fun, but the aftermath sucked.

When he returned home to Jamie’s place, Ryan found it in ruins. The floor had been buried underneath beer bottles, pizza boxes, trash, and stuff best left forgotten. Someone had drenched the sofa in a suspicious fluid, and while DJ Brain had survived the apocalypse, a partygoer drew a smiley face on the vat’s surface. Even with repeated time-stop, it was a struggle to clean up the mess.

Ryan was still working on it by the evening.

“Faster, slave!” Ryan’s cruel taskmaster, Lanka, sat on a chair while he cleaned up the sofa with a mop. Ki-jung’s rats looked at the both of them, like viewers watching a comedy movie. “I want to see this sofa shine enough to sit my ass upon.”

“Do you want me to clean your royal butt too while I’m at it, Your Majesty?” Ryan deadpanned.

“No, thank you, I already did my part,” she replied. “You’re the one who skipped town all morning.”

“You’re just mad I was invited to the big guys’ table,” he mocked her back, before hearing his cellphone bleep in his pocket. He took a break from his dirty work to check a message from Jasmine.

JasLove: How do you want your armor?

Ryan started typing his answer.

PlushieTamer: Have you played Fallout?

JasLove: Fallout 1, Fallout 2, Tactics, or Van Buren?

PlushieTamer: You didn’t mention Brotherhood of Steel.

JasLove: That game never existed, and I’ll kill anyone who says otherwise.

PlushieTamer: Good answer. Fallout 2, America for the Enclave.

JasLove: Figured. You’re going to look great killing muties.

PlushieTamer: You and I, and my big plasma cannon...

JasLove: Keep it loaded. Might give it a good polish if you behave.

“You’re texting your girlfriend during work, Blabbermouth?” Lanka said while looking over his shoulder, grinning upon seeing the sender. “Wait, wait, wait, it’s Vulcan’s number!”

“Jealous?” Ryan asked before putting the cellphone in his pocket.

“I’m glad you didn’t commit suicide by going after Livia, but Vulcan? Mad respect. She’s totally going to shoot you one day, but your bravery shall be remembered.”

Technically, she already did shoot him. “Well, I had to work for both of us, since you couldn’t get a date.”

Lanka grinned, sipping a beer. “Where do you think these fluids came from?”

Ryan looked at the sofa, then at the mop, and finally at Lanka, whose grin grew wider. “You know what, I paid my debt to society,” he said, tossing the mop at his flatmate’s face. “Clean your mess yourself.”

“Hey, you lazy ass, get back here!” she complained, trying to get the sticky mop off her face.

Ryan ignored her, moving towards the stereo to unplug his brain in a jar. Ki-jung’s rats left for the kitchen and trailed a towel back to the sofa with their mouths, intending to clean it up themselves. Their mistress was still holed up in her room with her boyfriend, but she might emerge from their lair sometime soon.

Jamie hadn’t believed he had been promoted at first until Livia herself called him to confirm it. After a moment of silence, the swordsman had retired to his room with Ki-jung to ‘discuss’ it, but they had been alone for three hours by now. Ryan was pretty sure there wasn’t a lot of talking involved in this private celebration.

When Jamie and Ki-jung returned to the living room, the rats had cleaned the sofa enough for Lanka to slouch on it. The couple was so close they were almost touching, and Chitter had recovered from yesterday’s breakdown. In fact, she looked so happy that Ryan thought she might ascend to heaven on the spot.

“Something big happened,” the courier said, as he separated the loudspeakers from the brain in a jar. “I can tell.”

“What’s up?” Lanka asked with an eyebrow raised. “Besides changing your names to Mr. and Miss Mercury?”

Ki-jung exchanged a glance with her man, who nodded slowly. “Jamie finally proposed,” she told Lanka, giddy with joy.

Her friend blinked. “No way!”

the rats clapped with their tiny hands. “You should

Lanka asked Ki-jung

“I want you

For the first time since Ryan met her, the ex-marauder looked speechless and flustered. “But I don’t

a little. “Felix would have been Jamie’s best man, but I

Jamie declared. “I owe my whole life to him. If he hadn’t raised me

have to call you boss now,” Lanka said with a wide grin. “If anyone

can’t believe it’s happening,” Zanbato replied, torn between joy, pride, and anxiety. He looked so adorable when

the swordsman. “It’s like sanity,

a long way to go. “Still, it’s so big… beyond all the responsibilities and sitting at

plan to invest in soccer games?” Lanka

haven’t had a national cup since the Genome Wars,” Jamie replied, his voice brimming with passion. “Dynamis keeps a tight grip on sports with their Dynacup, but the slums have so many talented people. Nobody will give them a chance but

develop detox centers, hospitals…” Ki-jung looked at Ryan. “Even

Rust Town.” Ryan shrugged. “That place is the most miserable I’ve seen, and that

surprise, Jamie actually seemed to take his suggestion to heart. “That’s not a

“You have seen

gave the question

Augustus probably wouldn’t give a damn if he used funds to create orphanages or

Bacchus however...

open to the idea,” Ryan admitted, with a caveat. “As long as it doesn’t

worsened, and they exchanged a silent glance. Ki-jung didn’t give up though.

Ryan replied, a

what I’ve heard,” Jamie said. News traveled fast. “But be

worry, Vulcan got to him first,” Lanka said, laughing when Ryan glared at

out!” He glanced at the mice in the room. “Sorry.

something would happen between you two,” Ki-jung smiled warmly. “The tension

so glad you found someone,” Jamie declared, warmly putting a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “I don’t know if it will last, but I hope she can make you

give me diabetes,” the courier replied, carrying his brain in a jar to the garage. When he left the

Lanka had

He opened the door and sat

funny alternate universe songs, a faint voice came

“Hi, Riri.”

was closed, and

it’s me. I don’t bother

it’s fine, I just had to confirm it.” He had to ask since it was unlike her

sure what

decided to spare her further embarrassment. “How are the

games.” She marked a short pause,

“Are you inviting me?”

“I… maybe.”

wasn’t wrecked beyond repair, or the kids’ presence helped Len

“I think you should know. I followed their

hands on the

true what I heard on

his hands on the warm, soft cashmere

Ryan wondering if

for you. She’s better than the others.” Another pause. “You

in her voice broke

“Does she know?”

the window, and at the garage’s cold walls. “It always ends

didn’t seem loyal to Augustus, Vulcan also had a fiery temper,

of a loop. Getting too attached would only make the

see,” Len said, clearing her throat. “But maybe

perked up in interest. “You’ve found

him questions. “You create your time-stop by aligning your two selves,